PEZ Holiday Gift Guide #3 Some more gift ideas from Pearl Izumi winter kit, COROS DURA Solar GPS bike computer, Tifosi Optics, last minute gifts with Colnago, build your dream Muc-Off Xmas bundle and FasCat Coaching and CoachCat AI training software.
Pearl Izumi Winter Kit
PRO Winter Jacket – $265
- Premium Italian 3L thermal softshell with 10k waterproof and 25k breathability rating on chest and arms
- Highly breathable and water-resistant fleece fabric on back, waist and under arms allows excess heat to escape
- High stretch fabrics contour close to body and provides easy mobility
- PI Dry® C0 technology for an PFAS-free durable water repellent
- YKK front zipper with internal storm flap
- 3 rear pockets and easy-access zippered chest pocket
- BioViz® powerful reflective elements that reach 100 meters for night visibility
Thermal Bib Shorts – $160
- Ultra-soft 266g lofted thermal fleece fabric provides increased warmth and tight-weaved knit balances windchill and breathability
- Dual-density ELITE Levitate chamois minimizes skin abrasion and sit bone discomfort
- PI Dry® C0 technology for an PFAS-free durable water repellent
- Elastic leg band with patterned silicone gripper
- Lightweight and breathable bib upper
- Made with recycled content
- BioViz® powerful reflective elements that reach 100 meters for night visibility
- 10″ inseam
Elite Thermal Knee Warmers – $50
- Tight knit lofted thermal fleece provides stowable warmth
- Anatomic construction eliminates bunching through your full range of motion
- PI Dry® C0 technology for an PFAS-free durable water repellent
- Anatomic left and right specific fit
- Plush wide elastic binding with silicone gripper for an stay-up fit
- Made with recycled content
- BioViz® powerful reflective elements that reach 100 meters for night visibility
Chuck Peña PEZ sez: One of the reasons we moved from Babylon on the Potomac to the Lowcountry was to not have to deal with snow and winter weather. Snow is rare here and winters are mild compared to up north, but it can still get cold here on occasion and we’ve already had more than a few mornings with temps in the 30s(F) — and a couple in the 20s! But just because I have the kit to ride when the temps are that cold doesn’t mean that I will (yes, I readily admit that I’m a wimp about riding in the cold in my old age). That said, I’ve already done some riding when it’s “warmed up” to the 40s and this combination of Pearl Izumi kit as been close to perfect for keeping me warm enough (I’m of Filipino ethnic descent and don’t do cold as well as my more hardy riding pals from the Nordic gene pool).
The high collar is fleece lined and was soft against my skin. Heavy duty YKK zipper (the gold standard) has full-length wind flap behind it to help keep out cold air.
The Pearl Izumi PRO Winter Jackdet is fleece lined and fairly substantial, i.e., heavyweight material, so keeps my skinny self (5’8″, 130 pounds, ectomorph) insulated. Since I’m not riding in truly frigid temperatures, all I really need under it is an appropriate weight base layer. Size small is form fitting (so, for me, essentially a jacket that’s a jersey) but has enough stretch that I could wear a jersey under it, if I was riding in cold enough weather that required a jersey (but I’m not because I’m a wimp).
In addition to the obligatory three rear pockets, the Pearl Izumi PRO Winter Jacket has a large zippered front pocket. Big enough for most smart phones (my daughter’s old iPhone 6S Plus for reference).
The Thermal Bib Shorts are … well … bib shorts … that are heavier weight material and fleece-lined for warmth. They follow a tried-and-true, don’t fix what’s broken design:
- The shorts section is five panels plus leg gripper panels that are hemmed with silicone strip for grip
- The seams are serge stitched
- The bib section is a Y-back designed with seamed bib straps (I admit that I’m a little spoiled in that almost all my bibs have laser cut straps, but the seamed bib straps weren’t uncomfortable)
Old school … hemmed leg with silicone gripper pattern on the inside
My longest riding these days is the Hilton Head Island Sunday group ride that’s just shy of 40 miles (sometimes I ride some extra miles to get to or go over 40). The Pearl Izumi Thermal Bib Shorts have been good for that and my butt-o-meter tells me they’d be good for longer distances (for me, that means metric century-ish).
The Pearl Izumi Thermal Bib Shorts pad aka chamois is one step down from Pearl Izumi’s Levitate PRO, but still very comfortable with firm, dense padding that’s not too squishy
Just as bib shorts, I could wear these on cool-ish spring or fall days with some sun for ambient warmth. But in cold weather, I need something to protect my knees. The Pearl Izumi Elite Knee Warmers are just the ticket to pair with the Thermal Bib Shorts for winter riding. And I actually prefer riding with knee warmers vs leg warmers or tights.
For me, the Pearl Izumi PRO Winter Jacket, Thermal Bib Shorts, and Elite Knee Warmers are a perfect combo for those (hopefully few) truly cold Lowcountry winter days and versatile enough for chilly late fall and early spring.
COROS DURA Solar GPS Bike Computer – $249
COROS DURA supports 120 consecutive hours of ride time with full GPS on a single charge. Solar panels on the computer add up to two hours of ride time for every hour of direct sun exposure.
Sporting a fully customizable 2.7-inch MIP color touch screen, viewing your data and navigation on the DURA is crystal clear when riding outdoors, especially under direct sunlight. The adaptive backlight auto-adjusts the screen brightness to ensure clear vision at night or indoors.
Easily create new routes inthe COROS app or download them from your favorite apps such as Strava, Ride with GPS, and Komoot. If you change your mind mid-ride, search for new destinations on your phone or draw a new route, COROS DURA will sync the updated route in seconds.
Also included with COROS DURA is a full training platform at your fingertips with the COROS app and desktop-friendly COROS Training Hub at no extra cost or monthly fee. For athletes looking to get the most out of their training, gain complete fitness insights when pairing the DURA with a COROS watch, including performance, recovery, sleep, stress, and HRV metrics.
Chuck Peña PEZ sez: You can read my full review of the COROS DURA here, but in a nutshell:
- For me, the COROS DURA ticks all the necessary boxes for what I need a GPS bike computer to do (I admit that I may not be as demanding as other riders, so YMMV), which is basically to:
- display (and track) ride data/metrics that matter most to me, i.e., speed, distance, cadence, power, heart rate (climbing data/metrics are of secondary importance and don’t really come into play riding down in the SC Lowcountry)
- be able to download routes and have turn-by-turn navigation via a map screen
- sync my rides to Strava (which syncs to Xert for me to keep track of my performance metrics and riding progress)
- As with any new tech, there’s a learning curve but it’s not overly steep (the COROS app makes it a little easier/more intuitive instead of having to do everything on the DURA itself)
- IMHO the mapping/navigation could be improved, but it’s usable
- What sets the COROS DURA apart from other GPS bike computers is the claimed ultra long battery life (up to 120 hours) and solar re-charging (one hour for every two hours of riding
- Based on my initial riding with DURA, after eight rides totaling almost 16-1/2 hours of riding (with varying sunlight conditions), the remaining battery life shown on my COROS DURA was 76 percent (and this was riding without any attempt to save power and extend battery life). According to my math, that would average out to almost 68 hours. So maybe 120 hours is a stretch and only achievable under “perfect” conditions, but 60+ hours of battery is still a lot and nothing to sneeze at compared to other bike computers.
- At $249, it’s very competitively priced against comparable GPS bike computers (even ones that don’t have solar re-charging)
Tifosi Optics
The holidays are here, and so is Tifosi’s Holiday Gift Guide! Whether you’re shopping for a cyclist, runner, pickleball enthusiast, or someone who just loves the outdoors, we’ve got the perfect pair of shades to match their passion.
Chuck Peña PEZ sez: PEZ readers will know I’m a fan of Tifosi’s range of sunglasses — both for on and off the bike. I’m a Tifosi tifosi. Whether wrapped up and under the tree or as a stocking stuffer, a pair of Tifosi sunglasses would make for a great gift for your favorite cyclist.
The Tifosi Moab is one of their newest styles
PEZ has reviewed a number of Tifosi sunglasses, and they’ve proven a legit player in the eye protection category with a huge range of styles for cycling and other sports — offering quality and technical features to match the big brands, but at prices that are way below what others are charging.
• Buy any TIFOSI sunglasses with this link and PEZ receives a small commission.
Last Minute Gifts with Colnago
- More info at: www.colnago.com.
Build Your Dream Muc-Off Xmas Bundle
- More info at: muc-off.com.
FasCat Coaching and CoachCat AI Training Software
Not every holiday gift has to be something you can wrap up and put under the tree. If your favorite rider is looking to step up their game (maybe riding their first Gran Fondo), the FasCat App with CoachCat AI-driven coaching solutions can help them get to the next level with customized training and instant workout analysis to optimize both performance and recovery. It’s like having a coach in your pocket.
And just in time for the holidays are some groundbreaking updates. With enhanced multimodal agenic capabilities, an expanded knowledge base, and intelligent agent-like properties, CoachCat now delivers a more dynamic, engaging, and personalized
coaching experience for athletes of all levels.
Technical Excellence: Multimodal AI
At the heart of CoachCat’s transformation is its cutting-edge multimodal AI engine, seamlessly integrating text and device data inputs. This innovation enables CoachCat to process athlete feedback, analyze workout data, and deliver personalized advice in real time, creating a seamless user experience that rivals interactions with a professional human coach.
Expanded Knowledge Base
Drawing from FasCat Coaching’s 20 years of expertise and proprietary datasets, CoachCat now offers an even broader and deeper understanding of athletic performance and exercise science. Athletes can tap into insights tailored to their unique needs, covering everything from race-day strategies to recovery optimization and exercise physiology
Engaging Coach-Like Qualities
CoachCat’s conversational intelligence has been trained to engage with athletes and ask questions like a coach would. Athletes benefit from a friendly, supportive, and motivational tone that not only provides guidance but also builds trust and engagement. CoachCat listens, responds, and adapts, fostering a deeper connection with users.
Agenic Features for Maximum Personalization
With functions that adapt and respond like a human coach would, CoachCat delivers
personalized training smarter, faster and cheaper, empowering athletes to achieve their goals with minimal friction:
- Custom Workout Creation: Athletes may ask for workouts based on how they are
feeling on any day for any reason such as other training preferences, fatigue, a limited schedule, weather, injury and even social group rides. Athletes receive new workouts aligned with their training objectives, adapting to their fitness level, schedule, and progress. - Dynamic Training Plan Revisions: CoachCat adjusts training plans based on common coaching requests like, “Coach, I can only ride for 45 minutes today, can you change my workout for today?”
- Auto FTP Detection: Leveraging advanced analytics, CoachCat detects changes in Functional Threshold Power (FTP) automatically, providing actionable insights to refine training efforts and measure improvement.
Seamless Integrations with Leading Platforms
FasCat Coaching is excited to announce integrations with Rouvy, COROS, and Concept2, further enhancing the CoachCat experience. These partnerships allow athletes to send their workout data seamlessly, unlocking new possibilities for personalized coaching. From virtual cycling with Rouvy to advanced metrics from COROS bike computers and rowing data from Concept2 machines, CoachCat now delivers comprehensive insights that span multiple disciplines. These integrations ensure athletes can send all their training and recovery data to one training platform.
Making Coaching More Accessible
“Our mission is to make coaching accessible to athletes everywhere,” said Frank Overton, CEO of FasCat Coaching. “These updates push the boundaries of what AI can do for endurance performance, offering cyclists a resource that’s intelligent, fun, flexible and effective. Gone are the days of static training plans or waiting for a coach to respond—CoachCat adapts dynamically to every athlete’s unique journey, ensuring their training evolves with them.”
Note: If you have other experiences with gear or something to add, drop us a line. We don’t claim to know everything (we just imply it at times). Give us a pat on the back if you like the reviews or a slap in the head if you feel the need!
PezCycling News and the author ask that you contact the manufacturers before using any products you see here. Only the manufacturer can provide accurate and complete information on proper/safe use, handling, maintenance, and or installation of products as well as any conditional information or product limitations.
The post PEZ Holiday Gift Guide #3: Pearl Izumi Winter Kit, COROS DURA Bike Computer, Tifosi Optics, Gifts with Colnago, Muc-Off Xmas Bundle & FasCat Coaching and CoachCat AI Training appeared first on PezCycling News.
